Classes

Rachel Ferrante's Academy of Performing Arts specializes in all disciplines of dance classes in Boston, MA. From tap, jazz and ballet to hip hop, Rachel Ferrante offers an array of disciplines for all levels of dancers.

Ballet: (2 ½ years – adult) - Ballet is one of the most beautiful forms of dance! In class, the students will study the history of French and Italian styles of Ballet, as well as technique from beginner to advanced. Ballet also improves a student’s sense of poise and grace while learning the discipline of dance. This class will run 1 hour in length providing enough training at the barre and in center floor.

Gymnastics: (2 ½ years – teen) - Gymnastics class teaches each student balance and control of their body. In this class students will perform tricks that stretch, strengthen and make the body more flexible.

Tap: (2 ½ years – adult) - The first indigenous American art was tap dancing! At this studio we will let tap live out its legacy. Tap focuses on rhythms and intricate footwork, creating a percussion instrument out of the dancer’s feet. In class, students will learn to tap to different rhythms either with music or without. The steps will be executed at the barre as well as in the center floor. Students learn a lot about musicality in tap class because of its use of different sounds, helping them in other disciplines of dance as well.

Jazz: (2 ½ years – adult) - An exciting and ever evolving dance form full of rhythm, syncopation, passion and life. Steeped in the rhythm of jazz music, a true American art form, jazz dance brings energy and life to all those who dance. Classes explore body isolations of the head, shoulders, ribcage, feet and arms and encourage individual expression and the development of personal style. Jazz can be powerful, expressive and lyrical. Jazz dance is taught with the music of today together with the classical jazz of yesterday. Classes teach basic jazz dance technique, terminology and movement quality with an emphasis on proper execution of jazz isolations, rhythms and style performed to contemporary music.

Contemporary: (10 years – adult) - Contemporary dance has its roots in ballet. It emphasizes the use of the floor for centering and grounding oneself in movement. This class focuses on the breath (inhale/exhale), which brings quality to one’s movement. Concepts of overcurve/undercurve, contraction/release, musicality and rhythm are explored.

Hip Hop: (5 years – adult) -A high-energy class that uses the latest sounds in rap, R&B and pop music together with movements influenced by some of today’s hottest video choreographers. Hip Hop encompasses movement that has elements of poppin', locking, and breaking as well as freestyle movement to give students the opportunity to develop their own sense of style. Hip Hop is urban, it’s street, it’s diverse and forever changing. We also encourage our students to not wear street shoes into class.

Musical Theater: (7 years – adult) - Musical Theater is a combination of music, drama, song and dance. In this class students will learn things such as dialogue from Broadway productions, lyrical dance steps, the history of performing arts, how to sing, and the history and “how to” of applying theatrical makeup. (The Advanced Musical Theater class price will include their makeup kit. This kit will be used throughout the year in class and these students will work on others for our outside performances!